The Heritage of Prayer

 I think most of us want what is best for our children. We want to give them what we never had. Shield them from all the pain and mistakes that we have had to go through. We want to bring them joy. Ease their load. It would be great to shield them and bless them. Even when we are gone it would be great to leave them some kind of inheritance if possible. Most people, when they think of leaving their kids an inheritance, they think of material wealth. But have you ever considered prayer as your children’s heritage?

Recently, I had a dream where the Lord was showing me, even when I am dead and gone my prayers would be with my children. Initially, I found the idea of my own mortality - especially leaving my children - sobering. But it is a reality we all need to face at some point. And even though I don’t love the idea of my children being on earth without me, I know they will grow up and go out in the real world where it can be scary and dangerous. I love the idea that my prayers can be with them even when I am not. Whether it is because I am somewhere else or because I have left this earth.

I never really saw my prayers as something physical but in my dream it was like my prayers built walls of protection around them. I know that prayer is powerful. I have experienced it over and over again in my life. It encourages me to pray for them because I know my prayers are lasting as well. They will outlast me.

So today, I pray for our children. I pray that they will not be conformed to this world but that they will renew their mind to the wisdom and peace of God. I pray for protection from the deceit of sin and the devil. I pray that their identity would be firmly grounded in the Lord and who he created them to be. I pray that they would be the just that live by faith that the word talks about. I pray that they will have a beautiful relationship with the Lord and stand boldly for righteousness. I pray for the Lord's love and favor to shine upon them. I pray against depression and contention in their lives. I pray that they will be surrounded by other people that love the Lord and that they could lift each other up in prayer and words of encouragement their whole lives.